East Central Reporter

State Rep. Blaine Wilhour (R-Beecher City) is criticizing the state’s Democratic lawmakers for increasing Medicaid expenditures for illegal immigrants.

Since undocumented immigrants were granted the ability to get free Medicaid from the state, the costs for such care have increased from an estimated $2 million to nearly $1 billion over the past few years.

“Don’t worry, it’s just a 2 million $ perk for illegal aliens. Well, now it’s a billion $-we can’t even take care of our own citizens -ask Mayor Brandon for Chicago. He just said last week we are starving our own citizens,” Wilhour posted on Facebook. 

A report by Wirepoints found the state was already spending 94 times what lawmakers expected the Medicaid program for illegal immigrants would cost. 

“For the year from March 2022 through February 2023, cost of care for the 65 and over age group was nearly $188 million, which is 94 times what (bill sponsor Delia then-Rep.) Ramirez claimed,” Mark Glennon wrote in Wirepoints. “Since then, the state expanded the program twice, lowering the age limit to 55 in 2021 and 42 a year later. The cost estimates of those expansions also shatter estimates made along the way. Now, the expanded program is estimated to cost $990 million for the fiscal year that starts July 1. That’s an increase of $768 million over this year, which was the first full year under the expanded program.”

Republican leaders in the General Assembly called for a “pause” to the program until it can be audited.

“In FY24, Illinois’ program of health benefits for undocumented immigrants is estimated to cost $990 million, which is a $768 million increase (346%) over FY23,” state Rep. Norine Hammond (R-Macomb) said at a recent press conference. “Undocumented immigrants are ineligible for any federal Medicaid match, resulting in state GRF being used to pay for the entirety of services provided. These ballooning enrollments and costs are unsustainable and could lead to the loss of funding and services for Illinois’ most vulnerable citizens.”

Hammond was joined by state Reps. Ryan Spain (R-Peoria) and C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-Jacksonville).

In defense, The Pritzker Administrations is pointing out its budget successes.

“The Republicans said it’s time we have some adults in the room when it comes to budgeting,” Pritzker spokesman Jordan Abudayyeh told Capitol Fax. “To be clear, the only lawmakers with a proven record of balancing the budget and improving state finances are Gov. Pritzker and the Democratic supermajority in the General Assembly. The governor just proposed another balanced budget that invests in education, health care and communities. The credit ratings agencies have so much trust in his track record that after his proposal, the state received two credit upgrades.”

“Let’s review some history," Abudayyeh said. "Who eliminated the bill backlog that reached $16 billion left by the Republican governor? Democrats. Whose prudent fiscal decisions led to eight credit upgrades? Democrats. Who paid additional pension payments? Democrats. Who invested hundreds of millions of dollars to rebuild our human services infrastructure after the Republican budget impasse? Democrats. Who rebuilt the rainy day fund to nearly $2 billion? Democrats. Who balanced the budget four years in a row? Democrats.”